Triple action air adjusting ring



g- 1961 G. E. VALENTINE ET AL 2,998,184

TRIPLE ACTION AIR ADJUSTING RING Filed Sept. 18, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1ATTORNEYS Aug. 29, 1961 G. E. VALENTINE ET AL 2,998,134

TRIPLE ACTION AIR ADJUSTING RING 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 18, 1958INVENTORJ 6:01PM gun mu;

BY -M w W ATTORNEYS Aug. 29, 1961 cs. E. VALENTINE ET AL 2,998,184

TRIPLE ACTION AIR ADJUSTING RING Filed Sept. 18, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3lfl lllllk' Hilllllll l I l l 1 l ATTORNEYS I 2,998,184 TRIPLE ACTIONAIR ADJUSTING RING George E. Valentine and Joseph H. Eubanks, SchuylkillHaven, Pa., assignors to V. & E. Products, Inc., Schuylkill Haven, Pa.,a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Sept. 18, 1958, Ser. No. 761,865 2Claims. (Cl. 230-114) This invention relates to blowers and to air flowcontrol apparatus for such blowers.

It is often desirable and even necessary to provide blowers with readilyadjustable ports to control the flow of air through the blower toprovide different performance characteristics as required by thedifferent service conditions under which the blowers operate. When suchblowers are used in conjunction with coal stokers, for example, it isadvantageous to provide a relatively large air inlet when the blower isidle so as to provide unrestricted natural draft under the fire. Whenthe blower is operating, on the other hand, such a large opening wouldpermit excess air flow and would render burning ineflicient. In thelatter case, therefore, a much smaller opening is required. In themajority of situations in which such blowers find use it is alsodesirable that the adjustments set forth above be made quickly andautomatically.

As far as is known, no air flow control apparatus has been developed inthe past which meets the foregoing requirements and which is, at thesame time, as simply and inexpensively constructed as is desirable,prior attempts to provide such an apparatus having been, at best, onlypartially successful.

It is a major object of this invention to provide an inexpensive andsimple structure, for use in connection with blowers, which providesautomatic adjustment of the size of the air flow passages of saidblowers.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel airregulating structure, with few moving parts, requiring a minimum ofmaintenance, adapted to be used with blowers and designed to providelarge air inlet area when the blower is idle and a smaller air inletarea when the blower is in operation, the conversion from large to smalland vice versa being immediate and automatic.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a novel airregulating structure which is completely selfcontrolling and which isautomatic in the simplest sense of the word.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel air regulatingstructure, usable in conjunction with the blower of a coal stokersystem, which structure pro vides for unrestricted natural draft whenthe blower is idle and an adjustably restricted flow of air when theblower is in operation.

These and other objects of the invention will become more fully apparentas the description proceeds in connection with the drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a partially sectional front view of a blower incorporatingthe novel air regulating device of the present invention and showing theposition of the parts when the blower is idle.

FIGURE 2 is a partially sectional front view of a blower incorporatingthe novel air regulating device of the present invention and showing theposition of the elements when the blower is operating.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the device shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 4 is a view of a horseshoe-shaped control element which forms apart of the novel air-regulating device.

FIGURE 5 is an end view of the element shown in FIGURE 4,

nited States Patent C "ice FIGURE 6 is an isometric view of one of theshutter elements.

FIGURE 7 is an isometric view of another of the shutter elements of thenovel air-regulating device.

Referring to FIGURES 1, '2. and 3 of the drawings, the novel airregulating device of this invention indicated generally at 10 is shownas applied to a squirrel-cage blower 12. Squirrel-cage blower 12 is ofgenerally conventional construction and comprises a main scroll typechamber 14 containing a rotor 16, a housing 18 adjacent chamber 14containing a motor for driving rotor 16, and the usual tangential outletsection 20. A central air inlet aperture (not shown) is provided in sidewall 24 of the main chamber 14 concentric with the axis of the rotor 16.v

Projecting outwardly from side wall 24 and surrounding the central airinlet aperture therein is a cup-like member 26 with apertures 30 in itscylindrical side wall.

Rotatably mounted around the periphery of member 26 is ahorseshoe-shaped control element 28 comprising two laterally spacedhorseshoe-shaped side pieces 31 connected at intervals along cross-bars3-2 and at their ends by braces 33. Projections 36 extend outwardly fromeach sidepiece 31, the corresponding projections of each side beingjoined by cross-bars 38.

Mounted between sidepieces 31 are three curved shutters 39, 40, and 41,so constructed that the radius of curvature of each is substantially thesame as that of the outer periphery of the member 26. Each shutter isprovided near one of its ends with an axle 42 which is shitably mountedfor free rotative movement in grooves 44 located at the inner peripheryof sidepieces 31. One end of the axle 42 for the shutter 39 extendsfreely through an opening 47 in a stop 53 projecting from one of thesidepieces 31 into one of the openings 30. The length of the shutters issuch that, in their closed position (FIGURE 2), apertures 30, over whichthe shutters lie, are either partially or completely covered, as willhereinafter be set forth. Projections 36 and their cross-bars 38- are solocated that they serve as stops to arrest the movement of the shutterswhen they are in their fully open position, as in FIGURE 1. Cross-bars32 are so located that they serve as rests for the ends 46 of theshutters when said shutters are in their closed position, as in FIGURE2. A mounting-lug 48 (see FIGURES 1, 2 and 3) attached to the mainchamber 14 serves as a stop for shutter 39 when the shutters are intheir open position (see FIGURE 1). On shutters 39, 40 and 41 arecounterweights 49, 50 and 51, respectively, so located that when theblower 12 is not in operation, the shutters will rotate automatically totheir open position, as in FIGURE 1. To effect this result, thecounterweights are differently positioned oneach shutter element,depending upon the relative positions of the latter. H I

Control element 28 is fitted around member 26 in such a manner that theformer can be rotated relative to the latter with slight force. Othermounting means would, of course, be suitable.

Referring to FIGURE 2, it may be seen that the relative dimensions ofapertures 30, cross bars 32 and the shutters are such that, even whenthe shutters are in their closed position, the control element 28 may berotated relative to member 26 so that portions of apertures 30 are leftunobstructed, said unobstructed portions being designated in thedrawings as air ports 52. The size of these air ports can be increasedby rotation of control element 28 clockwise, or may be totally closed byrotation of control element 28 counterclockwise. The movement of thecontrol member 28 in either direction is limited by the stop 53.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES l-7, wherein counterweights49-51 are utilized to move shut- 3 ters 3941 to their open position (seeFIGURE 1), it will be readily apparent that the blower unit 10 must bephysically situated in the system in which it is used in such a mannerthat the counterweights will be effective "to move the shutters to saidopen position. For example, if the unit were inverted so that thetangential outlet section 20 were located at the top rather than at thebottom, the counterweights would be ineffective to open the shutterswhen the motor is turned E.

This problem could be avoided, of course, by the 'substitution for thecounterweights of light springs or their equivalents. The bias of thesprings would be efit'ective to maintain the shutters in the openposition when the motor is turned off; the spring bias would be'overcome and the shutters would close when the motor is turned on.

In operation, blower 12 is suitably connected in the system in which itis going to be used (see, for example,

the coal stoker system described in Wilson et al. Patent 2,609,834,issued September 9, 1952). Control element can enter the blower inletonly through air ports 52.

When the blower is not operating, the counterweights 49-51 will move theshutters into their open position, as in FIGURE 1.

It is to be noted that regardless of the position to which controlelement 28 is adjusted to provide air ports 52 when the blower isoperating, apertures 30 will be substantially unobstructed when theblower is not in operation, and will accordingly permit unrestrictednatural draft.

My novel system will find wide use, and will be especially serviceablein coal stoker systems, as heretofore described. In addition to theadvantages heretofore pointed out, the immediately automatic opening ofthe shutters of my air regulating device will, in such systems, providefor immediate cooling of the furnace grates when the blower stopsrunning, adding to their service life. The air regulating elements of myinvention contain few moving parts, are easily and simply constructed,are so designed that worn or unserviceable parts may be easily andcheaply replaced without replacement of an entire unit.

Details of my novel structure may be varied without departing from thespirit or essential characteristics thereof. For example, shutters maybe constructed of rigid or flexible material. The latter would providefor some give when the blower is operating and the shutters are in theirclosed position, and would thus result in a better air seal. Cup-likemember 26 may be secured to conventional blowers by any suitable means,as by welding, bolting, etc., or, if desired, it may be cast integrallywith the blower frame. Mounting-lug 48 may, if desired, be replaced byan additional projection 36, to serve as a stop for the shutter 39.

Furthermore, my invention is not limited to the use of any given numberof shutters or apertures 30. While I have found that three of each ismost convenient from an efiiciency and a manufacturing standpoint, thisnumber may be varied to suit the desires of the operator.

The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States LettersPatent is:

1. Air flow control structure for a blower comprising an air inletmember having a substantially cylindrical wall provided with a pluralityof air inlet apertures; a control ring mounted on the periphery of saidair inlet member and having apertures therein; said control ring beingrotatable relative to said air inlet member to vary the portion ofapertures in said ring and said air inlet member in registry with oneanother whereby the size of the portion of the air inlet apertures leftunrestricted when the blower is in operation may be varied; and aplurality of shutters mounted on said control ring for free pivotalmovement between an inactive position to permit the unobstructed flow ofair through said apertures and an active position against said controlring to obstruct said flow of air; means biasing said shutters towardsaid inactive position and said shutters being movable to said activeposition by the flow of air through said blower.

2. A blower structure comprising in combination a blower having anair'inlet member having a substantially cylindrical wall provided with aplurality of air inlet apertures; a control ring mounted on theperiphery of said air inlet member; said control ring being rotatablerelative to said air inlet member to vary the size of the portion of theapertures left unrestricted when the blower is in operation; and aplurality of shutters mounted on said control ring adjacent saidapertures for free pivotal movement between an inactive position topermit the unobstructed flow of air through said apertures and an activeposition to obstruct said flow of air; counterweights biasing saidshutters toward said inactive position and said shutters being movableto said active position by the flow of air through said blower.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,990,778 Dodd Feb. 12, 1935 2,153,604 Wheller Apr. 11, 1939 2,273,458Anderson Feb. 17, 1942 2,441,845 Robinson May 18, 1948 2,603,411 TrumpaJuly 15, 1952

